What Happens If Someone Gets Hurt On Your Property?

If you own a property, say, a piece of land, a home, or a business, this question might have crossed your mind before: what happens if someone gets hurt on your property? 

Would you be liable for any injuries they might sustain while they are on your premises? Do they have any legal bases to sue you? And most importantly, what could you do if these things ever happen?

The answer is quite complicated, but knowing is already half of winning. Read on to know what happens - and what you should do - if someone gets hurt on your property.

Legally Speaking.

A lawyer is the best person to ask regarding the intricacies of what happens when someone gets hurt on your property, preferably someone who handles or has experience handling similar cases. A good start in ascertaining if they are the right choice is to confidently answer key questions for your personal injury lawyer.

Your injury lawyer will be able to finesse the finer details of such a case. We've compiled a list of what might happen when someone gets hurt on your property. Here are a few extra pointers to help you along the way.

Can They Sue?

If someone gets hurt on your property, your first concern might be if the injured party can sue you. And this is a very valid concern, considering the amount of stress, inconvenience, and financial burden that may befall you should they choose to take it to court.

The short answer is yes; they can bring a personal injury lawsuit against you. But fortunately, whether you are to be held liable for their injuries is a whole other story in itself. They can sue, but it doesn't mean you are automatically liable.

Of Liabilities and Related Matters

Whether or not you will be held liable if someone gets hurt on your property would depend on the person's status while they were on your property and how they were injured.

Under the premises liability law, property owners must maintain their property reasonably not to cause any injuries, properly notify guests of any dangerous conditions or hazards that may exist on the property, and well check for the same to ensure their safety. An excellent example of this would be the signs urging caution on wet floors, warning against falling debris, and other such things which may cause someone to get hurt on your property.

The same law also dictates that a property owner's care will vary according to the status of the person who was injured while they were on the property owner's premises. If someone gets hurt on your property, your level of liability would depend on whether the injured party is an invitee, someone you invite over for business purposes. Or a customer at your business. A licensee is someone on your property for social or personal reasons with your permission, like friends. Or a trespasser, someone who is not invited or allowed to be on your property. 

The highest level of care should be given to invitees, and if they get hurt on your property, it is to this category that you would have the most liability. While uninvited and undesirable, trespassers may still hold you liable for any injuries sustained while they are on your property. If you created and maintained the dangerous condition that caused them to be injured and failed to adequately warn them of such dangers or conditions (e.g., putting up a sign that advises intruders of an electric fence). 

Wrapping It Up

No property owner would wish to have anybody get hurt on their property. Still, if that ever happens, the best thing to do would be to assess the situation according to the pointers above and seek professional help if further needed. 

Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of having someone hurt on your property? Share your story in the comments.